AirSkyBuster : Aircraft and Airplane

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A-5 Vigilante (Wallpaper 4). Photo wallpaper gallery of North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft - 4. North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft pictures and images collection - 4. The Vigilante's early service proved troublesome, with many teething problems for its advanced systems. Although these systems were highly sophisticated, the technology of the time was in its infancy, and its reliability was poor. In early squadron service, the MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) for some systems was sometimes as short as 15 minutes.[citation needed] Although most of these reliability issues were eventually worked out as maintenance personnel gained greater experience with supporting these systems, the aircraft tended to remain a maintenance-intensive platform throughout its career. The two aircraft that rank as the heavist the Navy ever deployed aboard carriers are the A-3 Skywarrior and the A-5 Vigilante. Designed by North American to be a supersonic, all weather, strategic bomber, the Vigilante began life as the A3J and was redesignated A-5 in the general redesignation of Defense Department airplanes that occurred in 1962. A-5 Vigilante (Wallpaper 4). Photo wallpaper gallery of North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft - 4. North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft pictures and images collection - 4. The contractor reffered to this design as the "North American General Purpose Attack Weapon" (NAGPAW). The first contract for this aircraft was awarded to North American by the Navy on 29 August 1956. Its first flight occurred two years later on 31 August 1958. Technical difficulties and strategic priorites prevented the A3J from ever serving in its intended role, but did find a valuable place as a reconnaissance aircraft. The Vigilante was first reported in squadron by VAH-3 in June 1961, and completed it final deployment in September 1979. A total of 156 Vigilantes were bought. The “Vigilante” original design and purpose was as a long-range nuclear delivery platform operated from aircraft carriers. This plane had a mach two-- twice the speed of sound--capability. The weapon was carried internally in a “linear” bomb bay between the two engines, and it was ejected rearward. Extra fuel tanks were also carried in the bomb bay. When the reconnaissance Vigilante was produced with many recon packages both external and in the bomb bay, the speed was limited to just over the speed of sound. Some of the recon packages included many camera types and flasher pods for night photo work. There was also an in-flight refueling system that could be carried in the bomb bay. A-5 Vigilante (Wallpaper 4). Photo wallpaper gallery of North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft - 4. North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft pictures and images collection - 4.

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A-5 Vigilante (Wallpaper 3). Photo wallpaper gallery of North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft - 3. North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft pictures and images collection - 3. The A-5 was a very advanced supersonic attack aircraft, optimized for low-level attacks at high speed. It was long and angular, with rectangular air intakes, small, thin swept wings incorporating large full-span flaps, and all-moving tail surfaces. But the A-5, one of the biggest aircraft ever operated from a carrier, was not successful in its intended role as nuclear bomber, because the bomb ejection mechanism was unsatisfactory. The bomb bay was between the engines, and the plan was to expell the bomb rearwards, together with two empty fuel tanks. 63 bombers were built, but all but ten were converted to RA-5C reconnaissance aircraft. There were also 55 new RA-5Cs built. These were very effective and served until 1974. The first prototype of the YA3J-1 Vigilante, as it was formally designated, was rolled out on 16 May 1958, with first flight on 31 August 1958. A-5 Vigilante (Wallpaper 3). Photo wallpaper gallery of North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft - 3. North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft pictures and images collection - 3. The aircraft was long and sleek, with a relatively small swept-back wing, and all-moving horizontal and vertical tailplanes. The Vigilante was powered by twin General Electric YJ79-GE-2 engines, and had a large fuel capacity to give it range and permit extended flight in afterburner. The two crewmen flew in tandem cockpits equipped with North American HS-1 rocket ejection seats. The first production A3J-1 Vigilantes flew in 1960. Production aircraft were progressively fitted with more powerful J-79 engine variants, leading to the definitive J-79-GE-8 engines, with 7,480 kilograms (16,500 pounds) thrust. These were the same engines used on common variants of the McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom fighter, simplifying Navy logistics and maintenance. Carrier trials began in July 1960, and revealed no severe problems. To promote the aircraft to the US Congress, the Navy also established several speed and altitude records with the aircraft. The A-3J1 Vigilante began to flow to operational units in 1961, with last deliveries of the variant in 1963, when it was redesignated the A-5A due to a Defense Department decision to come up with a common designation scheme for US military aircraft. The decision to develop the Vigilante strictly as a reconnaissance aircraft was taken while efforts were being made to enhance its attack abilities, as well as modify it for reconnaissance. An improved attack variant, the A3J-2 (later the A-5B), and a reconnaissance version, the RA-5C, were both built. A-5 Vigilante (Wallpaper 3). Photo wallpaper gallery of North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft - 3. North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft pictures and images collection - 3.

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A-5 Vigilante (Wallpaper 2). Photo wallpaper gallery of North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft - 2. North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft pictures and images collection - 2. The Vigilante had advanced and complex electronics when it first entered service. It had one of the first fly-by-wire systems of an operational aircraft (with mechanical/hydraulic backup) and a computerized AN/ASB-12 nav/attack system incorporating a head-up display (Pilot's Projected Display Indicator (PPDI), one of the first), multi-mode radar, Radar-Equipped Inertial Navigation System (REINS, based on technologies developed for the Navaho missile), closed-circuit television camera under the nose, and an early digital computer known as VERDAN (Versatile Digital Analyzer) to run it all. The A-5 Vigilante was a truly magnificent aircraft of its time. It was optimized for low-level attacks at high speeds and was one of the biggest aircraft that ever operated from a carrier. A-5 Vigilante (Wallpaper 2). Photo wallpaper gallery of North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft - 2. North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft pictures and images collection - 2. Out of the 63 bomber variants built, all but ten were converted to RA-5C reconn. variants in the end. The first prototype, the YA3J-1 Vigilante, was first rolled out on May 16, 1958, with its first flight on August 31, 1958. It was powered by two General Electric YJ79-GE-2 engines. A total of 156 Vigilantes were built, including prototypes. One is known to survive on display at the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. A number were used as nonflying targets, including one that was used a target for the Tomahawk cruise missile whose destruction is documented by well-known imagery. The first production A3J-1 Vigilante aircraft flew later in 1960. These aircraft were fitted with the more powerful J-79 engines, leading to the J-79-GE-8 engines which had 16,500 pounds (7,480 kilograms) thrust. The A3J-2 attack variant, later dubbed the A-5B, and the RA-5C reconn. variant were built later on. In all, 156 Vigilantes were built including the prototypes, one of which still survives on display at the Naval Aviation Museum (Pensacola, Florida). A-5 Vigilante (Wallpaper 2). Photo wallpaper gallery of North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft - 2. North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft pictures and images collection - 2.

image dimensions : 1092 x 682

A-5 Vigilante (Wallpaper 1)
Photo wallpaper gallery of North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft - 1. North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft pictures and images collection - 1.
The North American A-5 Vigilante was a carrier-based supersonic bomber designed for the United States Navy. Its service in the nuclear strike role to replace the A-3 Skywarrior was very short; however, as the RA-5C, it saw extensive service during the Vietnam War in the tactical strike reconnaissance role. Prior to the unification of the Navy designation sequence with the Air Force sequence in 1962, it was designated the A3J Vigilante. In 1953, North American Aviation began a private study for a carrier-based, long-range, all-weather strike bomber, capable of delivering nuclear weapons at supersonic speeds. This proposal, the NAGPAW (North American General Purpose Attack Weapon) concept, was accepted by the United States Navy, with some revisions, in 1955. A contract was awarded on 29 August 1956. Its first flight occurred two years later on 31 August 1958 in Columbus, Ohio. At the time of its introduction, the Vigilante was one of the largest and by far the most complex aircraft to operate from a United States Navy aircraft carrier. A-5 Vigilante (Wallpaper 1). Photo wallpaper gallery of North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft - 1. North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft pictures and images collection - 1. It had a high-mounted swept wing with a boundary-layer control system (blown flaps) to improve low-speed lift.[4] There were no ailerons. Roll control was provided by spoilers in conjunction with differential deflection of the all-moving tail surfaces. Use of aluminum-lithium alloy for wing skins and titanium for critical structures were also unusual. The A-5 had two widely-spaced General Electric J79 turbojet engines (the same as used on the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II fighter), and a single large all-moving vertical stabilizer. Preliminary design studies had employed twin vertical fin/rudders. The wings, vertical stabilizer and the nose radome folded for carrier stowage. The Vigilante had a crew of two seated in tandem, a pilot and a bombardier-navigator (BN)—reconnaissance/attack navigator (RAN) on later recon versions— in individual ejection seats. Despite being designated by the US Navy as a "heavy", the A-5 was surprisingly agile for such a large aircraft, without the drag of bombs or missiles, even escorting fighters found that the clean airframe and powerful engines made the Vigilante very fast at high and low altitudes. However, its high approach speed and high angle of attack in the landing configuration made returning to the aircraft carrier a challenge for inexperienced or unwary pilots. A-5 Vigilante (Wallpaper 1). Photo wallpaper gallery of North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft - 1. North American A-5 Vigilante supersonic attack aircraft pictures and images collection - 1.